I need to generate a 0-12v signal from the 0-3.3v dc square wave signal that my uC produces. I'd like the signals to be identical sans the peak voltage increase. Should I use a jfet and an emitter resistor and have the signal out between the emitter and emitter resistor?

I just mean that, from the point of view of a load, the voltage it sees across itself is Vcc minus the drain voltage. On a 12V supply and using an N-channel logic MOSFET, this will range from 0V to 12V in synch with the gate voltage. Output (drain V) versus logic ground (source) will be inverted.

Why not start with what your output load will be?
You've told us that your uC's input is 0v-3.3v, and you need 0v-12v out ... but you have not said what you need to drive with the 0v-12v signal. The current requirement of the load may determine what the value of Rc2 is; we really don't know yet.

Then Rc1 = Rc2*10, and the 1000 Ohm resistor should allow 1/10th the base current as flows through Rc1 when the transistor is fully turned on. Otherwise, you'll be wasting power in the resistors.

I don't know the requirement of what I'm driving. It is an existing piece of hardware that I have no information on. My belief is that it is almost no load at all and it just monitors the signal I am sending it, in other words it is driving measurement circuitry with very little load.

Maybe I can figure out the loan of the device by measuring the amperage of the signal on my meter? I'm not sure how this will effect the signal, but I can think of a way anything could be damaged this way?

Or maybe try something like the attached figure. Ignore those FET part numbers...you can size them for whatever your requirement is (actually, the BSH103 will probably still work). This figure assumes the load is grounded. The only problem I ran into with this configuration was that when my load current was significant, the particular P-FET I used had a high Rds(on), meaning more power dissipated and my voltage at the load was lower than 12V.

I actually first tried a jfet (TIP120) that I've used with this uC before with success, but as a switch controlling the sinking side, and when I connected it I got a perfectly matching 3.3v square wave signal, to match the 3.3v square wave signal I was (already generating) sending to the base. So with my tail in between my legs, I then made this post hoping to learn or figure out what I've forgotten/done wrong.

It looks as though in your second post, the circuit has two fets. If I could dissect it, and you can correct me when wrong, R1 limits Q1 (which is probably an n fet) CE current and limits Q2 (which is probably a p fet) BE current. R2 is a pull down resistor for interference of which I have in my noisy 12v environment, and I always use a resistor in between the transistor and the uC so that I don't overdraw the uC, so my R3 would have to be in between 3.3v and Q1, at maybe 220Ω, which is what I used in my previous projects with this uC and transistor, but then I was only using it as a switch to control Christmas lighting.

and I always use a resistor in between the transistor and the uC so that I don't overdraw the uC, so my R3 would have to be in between 3.3v and Q1, at maybe 220Ω

Click to expand...

Someone may correct me on this, but I don't think the resistor is necessary. The transistors you have been using are current-controlled devices, whereas the FETs shown in my diagram are voltage controlled. Supply the correct voltage, and you should be good to go. EDIT: I wouldn't use the IRFR9110, personally. It has a high Rds(on), and could limit you if you plan on the load drawing any significant amount of current.

Do you see any problem with measuring the amperage of the signal but putting my meter in between the signal and the hardware? I cannot theoretically think of any way my hardware or sensor could get damaged, but I would like a second opinion.

I don't know the requirement of what I'm driving. It is an existing piece of hardware that I have no information on. My belief is that it is almost no load at all and it just monitors the signal I am sending it, in other words it is driving measurement circuitry with very little load.

Maybe I can figure out the loan of the device by measuring the amperage of the signal on my meter? I'm not sure how this will effect the signal, but I can think of a way anything could be damaged this way?

I need to generate a 0-12v signal from the 0-3.3v dc square wave signal that my uC produces. I'd like the signals to be identical sans the peak voltage increase. Should I use a jfet and an emitter resistor and have the signal out between the emitter and emitter resistor?

Click to expand...

Here's a circuit I designed to create a 25V square wave, you could change the supply voltage to 12V. The logic level drive comes in at the left into the inverter (top of R9).

In case this thread comes up in a search, I was able to put the meter in between the sensor and the hardware to measure th AC signal. I used the AC mA setting on my dmm because it did not register on the 10A setting.

The output is variable but it goes from .1 mA to 1mA. I saw the mA reading jump around and spike every once in a while, maybe because I'm in a noisy environment? I'm wondering if that is normal? 98% of the time it consistently read from .1 to 1 mA . What do you all think?

Ok, I built this circuit tonight and the scope output it gives is below. The resistor values were just for testing and are not final yet, I will have to go over that and verify those values suit this project best.

Your drawing in post #8 shows no connection of µC ground to your circuit ground, or from your step-up circuit to the downstream device. Is it assumed?

I still contend that the simplest way (as in the title of your thread!) is a single logic-level N-channel MOSFET. Put a current-limiting 470Ω resistor from +12 to the drain pin, which is your output. When it's turned on, the drain will be pulled very close to the source (ground). When it's off, the pull-up will take the output up near 12v.

Gaaa!! I didn't see the post above when I started writing. And nuts, I keep forgetting about inverting.

I just left the uC and the rest of the hardware sharing a common ground as assumed, I probably should have connected it though, so yes it was assumed.

I tried the single fet (TIP 120) and it would only pass the amount of voltage through the fet, that I fed to the gate, it was very strange. I'm still not sure why that happens that way, but that's why posted here ... because that threw me for a loop.

I had to throw the bjt in between the uC and fet and feed it 12v and then re-invert the newly inverted signal with the fet, so I could get the identical signal on the scope, just with a higher amplitude. I'm pretty happy with it, unless there is a design flaw. The nice thing about the TIP120 fet is that it will pass 5 amps.

Your drawing in post #8 shows no connection of µC ground to your circuit ground, or from your step-up circuit to the downstream device. Is it assumed?

I still contend that the simplest way (as in the title of your thread!) is a single logic-level N-channel MOSFET. Put a current-limiting 470Ω resistor from +12 to the drain pin, which is your output. When it's turned on, the drain will be pulled very close to the source (ground). When it's off, the pull-up will take the output up near 12v.